First time facing Deion Branch on the other team - hate him or miss him?

I will be happy to see Denion, not happy about the way he shot his way out of town . . . my only defense of him is that Givens got a 4 year rookie deal and was thus about to cash in on his 5th yr, whereas Branch got a 5 year rookie deal and was facing working his 5th yr at rookei salary while is counterpart Givens was getting a fat FA contract. Since that point 5 year rookie deals are illegal in the NFL excpet for 1st rounders . . .

So I can see how Denion would of been upset, also his story was that he was promise a 4 year deal and when he got to rookkie camp the pats "handed him" a 5 year deal and he was stuck and had to sign it.

I can see his points in wanted to only have a 4 year rookie deal and that is what Givens got and it was prohibiit by the NFL after Denion signed his . . .

JoeSixPat said:

Branch, IMO, would have been the difference maker in 2006 - allowing us to win a 4th Super Bowl Title - but I STILL don't begrudge the team for making the decision they did at the time. Branch's actions prevented him from playing out his contract here - not the team's.

All that being said I don't hold a grudge against him at this point. I was previously pissed that he didn't honor his contract but he played the cards he had and played them well to benefit himself. Who's to say any of us wouldn't have done the same?

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I am sorry I am going to have to repsectfully disagree . . . If you read my earlier post Branch as not above making mistakes in games and could of very well cost us, in a part, the game against Den in '05

Regarding the AFFCG, the def did give up 38 points and we did score 34 points to the offense was not shabby. Indeed, did the Pats ever score more than 34 points in a playoff game with Givens and Branch?? Branch was on a offense that had a defense that kept the opponents score down thereby putting less pressure on the offense. the '06 pats offense had to do a lot more work and needed to out perform what the pats offense did in 03-04. So if Branch was on a offense in 03-04 that could not score more than 34 points, how can one honeslty say he would of been on a offense that score more than 34 in '06??

Yehoodi said:

I am sorry I am going to have to repsectfully disagree . . . If you read my earlier post Branch as not above making mistakes in games and could of very well cost us, in a part, the game against Den in '05

Regarding the AFFCG, the def did give up 38 points and we did score 34 points to the offense was not shabby. Indeed, did the Pats ever score more than 34 points in a playoff game with Givens and Branch?? Branch was on a offense that had a defense that kept the opponents score down thereby putting less pressure on the offense. the '06 pats offense had to do a lot more work and needed to out perform what the pats offense did in 03-04. So if Branch was on a offense in 03-04 that could not score more than 34 points, how can one honeslty say he would of been on a offense that score more than 34 in '06??

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The 34 points was very decieving in that game. It was far from a great offensive performance. The defense scored 7 and a Hobbs kick off return was responsible for another 7. The longest drive the offense had in the last 40 minutes of the game was 34 yards and this was against a historically bad Colts defense.

Sivy said:

who???????

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He was taken 2 picks ahead of Branch.

dhamz said:

The 34 points was very decieving in that game. It was far from a great offensive performance. The defense scored 7 and a Hobbs kick off return was responsible for another 7. The longest drive the offense had in the last 40 minutes of the game was 34 yards and this was against a historically bad Colts defense.

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True Samuel pick was 7 and Hobbs return helped in another 7 points. Not to nit pick the refs in that game, but as we are both pats fans, I can remember the pats made a completion to Watson for a first down in the red zone near the 2 min mark in the first half and it was called back by a IMO bogus off. PI call on Brown away from the play, if that is not called then we are in FG range, likely run out the half and go in half time 24-3 as opposed to 21-6. different game. not to mentioned the "Ellis Hobbs - opps the NFL apologizes for the PI in the endzone" helping the colts make it easier to get 7 instead of 3 points on that drive. And lastly, the missed PI call on Caldwell in the endzone when the colt defender grabbed and turn Caldwell, that was worse that the hobbs PI in the endzone and if the refs were consistant wwe would of had first and goal on the one and perhaps scored 7 as opposed to settling for a field goal. so there was several opportunities in which we could of put the colts away and/or scored more points (or had to yield more points), but the men in the strips had their fingers in the cookie jar. So I put less of an emphasis on Denion in that game as much as the refs . . .

also if you remember the colts Defense did play well for a 4-6 games stretch leading into the SB . . .

PATRIOTSFANINPA said:

I was a Deion Branch fan with a man crush, but was a bit miffed at his decision to go for more $$$ but still think he was the best receiver of all in the Brady era and I miss him.

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Would put him fourth of the WRs Brady has thrown to.
Moss
Welker
Brown
Branch

Hate him, he left in a classless way. And I'm happy he's on such a crappy team.

don't care at all.

i always liked Brown and Givens more than him anyways.

I always liked Deion. However his decision to not honor his contract and force a trade (particularly when he may have made the difference in winning another Super Bowl) left a bad taste in my mouth. I don't root against him; like many posters have said I just don't care that much about him.

Disco Volante said:

Didn't need him in 2006, obviously didn't need him last year and don't need him now.

Before someone inevitably comes in here and mentions Reche Caldwell in the '06 AFCCG, please remember what the situation was at halftime.

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What you're missing is you'd be replacing Caldwell with Branch for the entire season, not just one game. Brady had his worst year in 06 and his best in 07. Do you honestly think he improved dramatically (or at all) individually in between the two?

Missed him in '06 when Tommy was left flying solo and still took us to the AFCCG. However, he really hasn't crossed my mind since the Moss-Welker era began last year.

I wish him well. He was an important part of some great years.

neither.........if it weren't for the branch deal, the pats would likely not have mayo today........that said, he did not honor a contract he signed, so he can basically take a flying leap

I still dislike branch. The way he tried getting out of his contract really showed the type of individual he is.

I laugh (I know I shouldn't) every time I see the seahawks and here about db's problems. We absolutely came out on top on that deal. Seahawks wasted a first rounder and a lot of money on a nobody!!

Hate him.

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Did you guys see this?

Deion Branch trade revisited - Reiss' Pieces - Boston.com

Excerpt:

Branch has battled injuries, playing in just 29 of a possible 44 regular-season games over the last three seasons, totaling 115 receptions. On a conference call today, Seattle coach Mike Holmgren said: "Is he a 100-catch guy who kind of carries your team? He has not been that for us. Maybe he will be in the future. I know this -- I enjoy him, he's a team guy, and he works very hard. All that is good."

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Fond memories for Branch

Sunday will mark the first on-field reunion between the Patriots and receiver Deion Branch, the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX who was traded to Seattle before the 2006 season.

“It will be a little strange and a little exciting,” Branch said via conference call with local media yesterday. “Man, it is crazy; I was looking at my playbook this morning and I saw the New England Patriots’ helmet. Knowing where I am at and knowing that we are going against the guys that I played with my first four years, won two Super Bowls with and have shared a lot of memories with. … Most of all it will be a little strange, but a little exciting to be out there playing against all my friends.”

Branch hasn’t had the best luck since joining the Seahawks; he played in 14 games his first season there, but saw action in just 11 last season. After suffering a torn ACL in Seattle’s playoff loss to Green Bay last year, Branch wasn’t ready at the start of this season. His first game action was in Week 5, but he was hurt again in that game and returned three weeks ago against Arizona.

While he keeps in touch with many of his former Pats teammates, Branch has been exchanging frequent text messages with Tom Brady as he recovers from his own torn ACL.

“Knowing what he is about to go through, it’s nothing to him,” he said of Brady. “He’s a strong guy. He’s going to prevail; he is going to be all right. You have to be mentally strong to overcome this type of injury; a lot of guys come back from it but a lot of guys are not mentally back from the injury when they come back. Tom will be OK.”

hate him, greedy player, wanted money...looked what happened hes only the terrible seahawks

If he had honored his deal and left in free agency, I suppose I wouldn't have felt as betrayed. But basically he held the Pats hostage for one season and said, unless you trade me or give me big $$ I'm going to sit out the season. That's where he loses karma points in my book. He has been invisible in Seattle so it looks like the Pats got the better end of the deal in trading him away. I can't believe we got a 1st rounder for him!

one thing I will always give Branch, 3 of his best games were SB 38, the AFCC Game in Pittsburgh, and SB 39. Cant get more clutch than that.
Givens too, they were at their best when it counted.

I disagree with those who believe that Branch would have made a big difference in '06. Based on his lack of attendance at OTAs, there's a good chance he would have been as healthy and effective for NE in 06 as he was in Seattle.

We might still have traded for Moss in '07, but we might not have gone so hard after Welker. I'd hate to see Welker still on the Dolphins.